The state of Iowa was the star of this political season for over a year. The Hawkeye state launched Barack Obama's candidacy, derailed Hillary Clinton's and turned Mike Huckabee into a GOP power-broker. All eyes were on Iowa--and then the political circus left, on to New Hampshire and the 48 caucuses and primaries that followed.

Now Iowa needs your attention again. Key parts of eastern Iowa, in case you haven't heard, are underwater, the result of catastrophic flooding. Nearly half of the state is considered a disaster area. "The economic costs of the devastating floods were also beginning to seep in," the New York Times reported today, "tourism officials, who depend on the short summers, were bracing for washed-out seasons; farmers in many states stared out at ponds that had once been their fields of beans and corn; and officials were preparing to shut down 315 miles of the Mississippi River, a crucial route for millions of tons of coal, grains and steel."

(Cedar Rapids, courtesy of flickr user magneticjade)

(Des Moines, courtesy of flickr user synthesizers')

Click here for a haunting slideshow compiled by the Times. The floods hit the same week as a tornado in western Iowa tragically killed four Boy Scouts and injured 50 others.

Water levels are receding in some places, like Cedar Rapids, but may soon rise in others, like Iowa City. The latest flooding brings back haunting memories of the Great Flood of 1993, the most costly in US history. My hometown of Fairfield, in southeast Iowa, was one of the few not located on the banks of a river--and thus protected. Most other places weren't so lucky. I remember flying overhead that summer and seeing virtually the entire state submerged in water. To this day, it's still one of the saddest sights I've ever seen. Iowans remember those day more vividly than any war.

Here's a good article about how you can help. Consider donating to the Red Cross's disaster relief fund or, if you live in the area, contributing your time. We've seen the devastation caused by natural disasters in New Orleans, Myanmar and China recently. Let's do everything we can to help those in need.

Comments (9)

1. how's FEMA doing?

   Posted by emile duBois at 06/14/2008 @ 3:43pm

2. Thanks for asking. Better than during Katrina. FEMA dir has been on site and 15 counties have been designated for disaster assistance.

   http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19942609.html

   Posted by Ari Berman at 06/14/2008 @ 3:58pm

3. Bush finally got rid of a "horse lawyer" at FEMA, huh?

   Posted by Mask at 06/14/2008 @ 4:56pm

4. Thanks for asking. Better than during Katrina. FEMA dir has been on site and 15 counties have been designated for disaster assistance.

   http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/19942609.html

   Posted by Ari Berman at 06/14/200

   You mean they actually know something happened this time? Jees they really are stepping up their game over at the White House.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 06/14/2008 @ 7:57pm

5. Amazing what embarrassment will do. Ohand removing political cronies and putting competents in charge.

   I don't know if anyone saw it, cause it was buried deep in a CNN news article, but Obama actually assisted with the sandbaggng of a town facing flooding in Illinois. Yes, he got down, got his hands dirty, and directly helped folks. When was the last time a Presidential candidate did something like that?

   Posted by yutsano at 06/14/2008 @ 10:06pm

6. Q Scott, looking back over the past few weeks, it's obviously been one hurricane thing after another. We're looking at a federal relief effort that will be the biggest in history, natural disaster the biggest in history. Have you heard the President reflect at all on how this has come to dominate the agenda going forward?

   MR. McCLELLAN: As he said, he said it's going to be one of the largest reconstruction efforts ever. And what we're committed to doing is making sure that it's a locally inspired vision, and that the federal helps support that -- their efforts to implement that vision. That's why he was down in Mississippi last week, meeting with the Governor's Commission, that is moving forward on developing ideas for rebuilding. We want to rebuild those communities better and stronger than ever. And the Mayor -- and New Orleans is moving forward on efforts to start to look at some of the longer-term vision for the area.

   Q My question went more to the point of how it's dominating his agenda, and the exclusion of other things that he intended to focus on this fall.

   MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are a number of important priorities that we continue to address, and that we will continue to meet. This is -- the response and recovery and rebuilding efforts relating to these hurricanes is highest -- is of the highest priority for the President. And he's going to continue to stay focused on making sure that we're meeting the needs of the people in the region, that we're helping them get back up on their feet, and that we're helping them rebuild their lives and their communities.

   Obviously, there are other priorities, as well. The President has a great team in place throughout the federal government, and we're all working to make sure that those priorities are addressed, too.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 06/14/2008 @ 11:35pm

7. I hope those self sufficient mid westerners aren't going to come begging to the nanny state for help.

   Posted by emile duBois at 06/15/2008 @ 09:59am

8. Howw much do you wanna bet that if LVL's church got flooded out he'd be screaming the loudest for federal assistance Emile?

   Posted by yutsano at 06/15/2008 @ 4:49pm

9. yutsano

   one suspects as much. those "churches" also love their tax exemptions, another word for subsidy.

   Posted by emile duBois at 06/15/2008 @ 5:02pm